Making Political Party Leaders: The Practice of Political Leadership in Canadian Party Leadership Races

Abstract

Party leaders are central to the Canadian party system because they represent their political parties at the national level, hold significant power within them over policy and messaging, and they often go on to form government following elections. Although scholars have studied leadership selection methods, party organization, and political campaigning, less attention has been paid to how aspiring party leaders develop political leadership in their respective campaigns. This gap invites the following questions: (1) how is political leadership constructed and communicated by aspiring leaders in Canadian political party leadership races; and (2) what campaign strategies do they most commonly use to present themselves as viable party leaders to party members? This study examined 16 candidates across three federal leadership races: the Liberal Party (2013); the New Democratic Party (NDP) (2017); and the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) (2022). Through a qualitative content analysis of the campaign materials of each candidate in these races, such as media coverage, debate performances, and websites, this study identified the ways that candidates construct and communicate political leadership through their campaigns to persuade party members to vote for them as the party leader. Overall, this study further contextualized how leadership is marketed and performed in party politics.